Barriers

One girl sits alone, whilst other play around her

One girl sat alone of the rusted swing, an empty seat beside her, passing through the wind.

The slide was covered with swishing children; falling down, then climbing their way back up. The see-saw was unbalanced by the, multitude of occupants. The monkey bars barely with a gap left to hang.

But the swings. One covered with the tiny girl, the other vacant, sighing in the wind.

All the children played. Laughing shouting, smiling. Dancing their way through to the best apparatus.

But the girl. Not a smile played her little face, no dancing erupted from her.

With a scuff to her shoes, she pushed off, flying high backwards into the air, dropping back down to the earth. Then up again, flying, then down, dropping. Hair whipping back then covering forward.

Until. All momentum lost she slowed, coming to a slowly dizzying halt. No change in the scenery before her. In all her hopes and dreams, she had lost, rejected by the unseeing crowd.

“May I sit here?” A small squeak from behind. A girl to match stood, smaller than the other, twiddling her thumbs, disposition equal.

The girl shrugged, answering her question.

“I’m Lilly,” the girl said proudly, as she placed herself on the swing. “I’ve heard about you a school.”

The girl looked away at the others comment.

“I don’t mind, I know it’s not contagious.” Then to add, as if it might help. “I can’t hear, so speaking wouldn’t matter anyway.”

At that the girl looked back, staring right into the smile of another. Without effort she smiled, lighting up her face.

“Come on, let’s swing,” the newcomer said.

They pushed off, together flying high.

For once in many years, the lone girl felt happy, but she wasn’t alone anymore, was she?

Reviews

[SquinklaPsyOps]

I like it. It’s solid—can’t find much to critique. Your concept of flow is very good and your descriptions are excellent.

[Sarah J. Mendonca]

I am surprised to find such a short story to have such a quick impact. You really have a gift. You might want to think about short story competitions. About.com lists a ton, and some are short short story competitions with less than a thousand words.